Cervical collar



Nov. 30, 1965 N. c. CONNELLY CERVICAL COLLAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17, 1962 R y L WL a N m C C 5 M O m N ATTORNEY Nov. 30, 1965 N. c. CONNELLY CERVICAL COLLAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 17, 1962 INVENTOR NlCHOLAS C. GOA/NELLY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,220,406 CERVICAL COLLAR Nicholas C. Connelly, Eaton Rapids, Mich., assignor to S. H. Camp & Company, Jackson, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 245,155 9 Claims. (Cl. 128-75) The invention pertains to a cervical collar, and is particularly concerned with an improved cervical collar construction which provides a superior type of head support and a greater degree of stability than obtainable with previously known collar constructions.

When treating neck injuries, and the like, it is common practice to employ means for supporting and limiting head movement during treatment. In those instances wherein little or no movement of the head, relative to the shoulders and other parts of the body, is permitted, cervical braces or casts are usually employed. Such braces and casts are usually strapped or otherwise rigidly afiixed to the chest, shoulders, and back of the patient, and include support members which engage the front and back regions of the head. In those instances wherein limited movement of the head is permitted, yet the neck must be maintained in a relatively extended and straight position, a cervical collar is usually employed which circumscribes the wearers neck, and engages the upper portions of the body, and includes head-engaging pads or members for restricting the head movement.

A great variety of cervical collar constructions are available, and such constructions often incorporate means for permitting vertical adjustment of the head-engaging members relative to the collar portion itself. In some constructions the collar is merely padded at its upper and lower edges, and separate head-engaging pads are not employed in that the upper edge of the collar serves to confine head movement. It is common to provide a variety of adjusting means with conventional cervical collars, whereby both the circumferential and the vertical heights of the collar may be varied to accommodate different size patients. While many cervical collars are capable of adjustment to accommodate different size patients, known constructions lack stability due to their tendency to rock relative to the patients shoulder and neck. Such rocking permits considerable head movement. Thus, cervical collars are not employed in those instances wherein it is important that the patients head movements be accurately limited.

It is a basic object of the invention to provide a cervical collar which is of such construction as to be highly stable, with regard to the patients shoulders, back, chest, and neck, whereby the cervical collar may be employed in many instances wherein only cervical braces previously sufiiced. This advantage is of significance in that the cervical collar is much more convenient to wear than a cervical brace, and is likewise less expensive, more comfortable, and less objectionably confining than a cervical brace.

A further object of the invention is to produce a cervical collar capable of providing a high degree of stability, and which snugly fits the trapezius ridge, and has a front portion which engages the clavicle regions above the sternal notch and rear portions which engage the back at locations which border on the vertebral and superior margin of the scapula, whereby rocking of the cervical collar is prevented.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved cervical collar construction which includes front and rear head-engaging pads, and is formed from flexible or semi-rigid sheet material having end portions.

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The end portions are interconnected by. an insert block releasably afiixed thereto, whereby the releasing means permit the collar to be installed upon and removed from the patient. One of the head-engaging pads is mounted upon the insert block in such a manner as to be readily adjustable thereto, and the other head-engaging pad is mounted upon the collar sheet material, and is vertically adjustable with respect to the sheet material.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cervical collar construction employing two sheets of semirigid, or flexible, sheet material and includes padding having a radially extending, longitudinal neck portion whereby the padding neck portion is received between the sheets adjacent the lower edge thereof, thus maintaining the padding in the desired position relative to the sheet material.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cervical collar having end portions wherein an insert block is releasably afiixed to the end portions and maintains the annular configuration of the collar, whereby by merely employing different sizes of insert blocks, a single collar construction may be employed to accommodate a number-of neck sizes.

These and other objects of the invention arising from the details and relationships of the components of an embodiment thereof will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a right front, perspective view of a cervical collar, in accord with the invention, as mounted upon a patient,

FIG. 2 is a right rear, perspective view of a cervical collar, in accord with the invention, as mounted upon a patient,

FIG. 3 is a front, elevational view of a cervical collar in accord with the invention,

FIG. 4 is a right side, elevational view of the collar,

FIG. 5 is a rear, elevational view of a cervical collar in accord with the invention,

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the inner side of a cervical collar when completely opened to a planar configuration,

FIG. 7 is a plan, sectional, enlarged, detail view of the insert block construction, as taken along section VII-VII of FIG. 3,

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, plan, sectional, detail view of the rear pad member guide means, as taken along section VIIIVIII of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, sectional, elevational, detail view of the rear guide and head support member, as taken along section IXIX of FIG. 5.

With reference to the drawings, the cervical collar, in accord with the invention, is generally indicated at 10, and in use encircles the neck of the wearer, and is provided with padding means for engaging the wearers body and head-engaging pads for preventing undue movement of the patients head.

The collar 10 is basically constructed of a pair of superimposed sheets 12 which are sewn together adjacent their peripheral edges, and are of a configuration, in planar form, which will be best appreciated from FIG. 6. The sheets 12 are preferably of a synthetic, plastic nature, and are flexible or semirigid, whereby the sheets may be readily formed and bent in the direction transverse to the plane of the sheets, yet resist bending due to compressive forces within the plane of the sheet itself. While the disclosure illustrates the use of two Sheets 12, it will be appreciated that the pair of sheets 12 can be replaced by a single sheet of sufiicient stiifness and of such characteristics as to meet the desired requirements. However, as the use of a pair of sheets is desirable in the manner of attaching the padding to the lower edge thereof, as will later be described, the description is directed to the use of a pair of sheets 12, which is the preferred construction, rather than a single sheet. The sheets 12 are preferably formed from a translucent, plastic material which is attractive and easily cleaned.

The sheets 12 are preferably of identical configuration, and when sewn together, in effect, constitute a single, integral sheet which defines a collar having end portions 14 adjacent terminating end edges, and a back portion 16 which is centrally located intermediate the end portions 14. The upper portion of the collar sheet material is defined by an upper edge 18 and the lower regions by a lower edge 20. As will be apparent from FIG. 6, the vertical height of the collar between the upper edge 18 and the lower edge 20 varies along the sheet material length or circumference. However, the collar construction is symmetrical from the center of the rear portion 16 toward each of the end portions 14. The greatest vertical dimension occurs at the rear portion 16, whereby the collar rear portion will engage the wearers back at the border of the vertebral and superior margins of the scapula.

The upper edge 18 of the sheet material is preferably covered by a binding 22 which is afiixed to the sheet material by the stitching attaching the upper portion of the sheets 12 together. Padding is associated with the lower edge 20 of the sheet material, whereby the patients comfort will be insured.

Such padding includes a covering 24 of an attractive nature which may be formed of imitation leather, plastic, or the like. The covering 24 includes a bulbous portion in which a compressible foam material 30 is received, and a radially extending neck 26 projects from the bulbous foam-receiving portion throughout the longitudinal length of the padding. As will be apparent from FIG.

9, the neck 26 is received between the sheets 12 adjacent the lower edges 20 thereof, and is afiixed thereto by the sewn stitch, attaching the lower regions of the sheets 12 together. This construction insures the relationship shown in FIG. 9 wherein the foam 30 of the padding will be maintained in alignment with the planes of the sheet material 12, and will not be displaced to one side or the other so that the lower edge 20 would directly engage the wearer. Thus, by the use of the two sheets 12, deflection of the effective portion of the padding to one side or the other from the plane of the sheet material will be prevented.

The configuration of the lower edge 20 of the collar sheet material, and that of the lower padding, is such that the padding includes a portion 32 which engages the wearer above the sternal notch and in the clavicle regions. The portion 34 of the padding will snugly engage the Wearers trapezius ridge, and being of a concave configuration will engage the front and rear portions of the trapezius ridge, as well as the ridge peak. The padding portion 36 borders on the vertebral margin and the superior margins of the scapula, and extends farther down the back of the wearer than conventional cervical collar constructions. Thus, as the configuration of the padding is such as to intimately conform to the body configuration, a firm foundation, or base, is provided which will prevent tilting or rocking of the collar with respect to the wearers body.

A rear strip 38 is affixed to the exterior of the sheet material at the rear portion 16, and extends in a vertical direction. The strip 38 may be formed of a plastic material, and is attachedto the sheet members 12 by a pair of rows of spaced, sewn stitching 40 disposed at equal distances from the vertical center of the rear region 16. A pair of rivets 42 may also be employed to aflix the strip 38 to the sheets 12, if desired. With reference to FIG. 9, it will be noted that a plurality of vertically spaced holes 44 are defined in both the strip 38 and the sheets 12 for selective reception of the rear pad locking means, as will later be apparent.

A metal rear pad support member 46 is slidably received between the sheet members 12 and the strip 38 intermediate the stitching 40 and rivets 42. Thus, these components define a vertically disposed guide for the support member 46. The upper end of support member 46 extends above the upper edge 18 of the collar, and is provided with an arcuately shaped rear head-engaging pad 48. The pad 48 will usually be provided with a metallic core encased within a compressible foam. The pad foam is covered with an attractive and washable covering, usually of a nature similar to that of covering 24. The metallic core of the rear pad 48 will permit the pad to be shaped by bending to conform to the patients head configuration.

A hole 49 is defined in the portion of the rear pad support 46 received between the strip 38 and the sheet material 12, whereby, upon alignment of the hole 49 with a hole 44, the insertion of a screw 50 through the aligned holes 44 and 49 will vertically lock the support 46 relative to the sheets 12. A nut 52 cooperates with the screw 50 to complete the locking and vertical adjusting feature. Selective rear pad height may be achieved by cooperation of the screw 50 with the desired vertically located holes 44.

To permit the cervical collar to be easily installed and to accommodate various size patients, whereby the circumference of the collar may be varied, an insert block 54 is associated with the sheet end portions 14. The insert block 54 may also be constructed of a sheet, synthetic, plastic material, and, in the illustrated embodiment, is of a substantially rectangular configuration. Four insert snap fasteners 56 are located on the insert block 54 adjacent the corners thereof, and two sheet snap fasteners 58 are associated with each collar sheet end portion 14 for cooperation with the insert block fasteners 56. Thus, the horizontal spacing between the insert block fasteners 56 will determine the circumference of the cervical collar, and by the use of a number 'of sizes of insert blocks of different widths wherein the horizontal spacing between the fasteners 56 thereof varies, a number of cervical collar neck sizes may be provided merely by substituting one insert block size for another.

The front head-engaging pad is mounted upon the insert block 54 and, for this purpose, an inner plastic sheet strip 60 is sewn to the inside of the insert block. 54 by spaced stitching 62 and reinforced by rivets 64. The spacing between the rivets 64 and the stitching 62 is such as to provide a vertically disposed guide for reception of the front pad metal support member 68 in a manner similar to that previously described with respect to the rear .pad support member 46. A plurality of vertically disposed holes 66 are defined in the insert block 54 and the strip 60, and the front metal support member 68 is slidably and vertically positioned within the guide defined by the insert block 54 and the strip 60. A front head-engaging pad 70 is located upon the upper end of the support 68, and is of an arcuate configuration as to substantially conform to the bottom of the wearers lower jaw. The pad 70 may be constructed in a manner similar to that of the rear pad 48.

A screw 72 is inserted into the desired hole 66 for cooperation with a hole defined in the support 68, whereby upon cooperation of the screw 72 with a nut 74, the front pad support 68 may be vertically positioned in a manner similar to that of the rear pad support 46. As will be apparent from the drawings, the front pad 70 also extends substantially above the upper edge 18 of the sheet material 12.

Usually, two of the vertically disposed insert block fasteners 56 will remain in operative engagement with the sheet material fasteners 58, as shown in FIG. 6. There upon, the collar may be readily installed on the wearer by bending the sheet material 12 about the wearers neck wherein the rear pad 48 will be located at the rear of the patients head, and the insert block 54 will be located under the chin. Fastening of the disconnected fasteners 56 to the fasteners 58 will then complete the assembly operation and maintain the collar in an annular configuration. It will be appreciated that previously the vertical adjustment of the front and rear pads has been predetermined and made.

In use, the padding associated with the lower edge will intimately engage the regions of the wearers body, as described above, and the rear pad 58 will usually be adjusted as to engage the patients head at the beginning of the occipital protuberance, and the front pad 70 will be placed under the mandibular area, or jawbone. Thus, as the collar defined by the sheet material 12 will be firmly supported on the wearers body, a stable base is provided for the pads 48 and 70 to provide the desired head support and restraining action.

It will be appreciated that it is within the scope of the invention to reverse the position of the insert block 54. For instance, the end portions 14 could conceivably be located at the rear of the wearer it suitable variation of the sheet material 12 is made, whereby the portions of the collar padding adjacent the end portions 14 extend far enough down the wearers back wherein the insert block is located at the rear of the collar and constitutes the support for the rear pad, rather than the support for the front pad. Other modifications of the invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is intended that the invention be defined only by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A cervical collar comprising, in combination,

(a) a semirigid collar having upper and lower edges and end portions,

(b) body engaging portions defined on said collar lower edge,

(e) an insert block interposed between and connected to the end portions of said collar,

(d) a head-supporting rear pad mounted upon said collar substantially centrally of said end portions thereof and extending above the collar upper edge. and

(e) a head-supporting front pad mounted upon said insert block extending above said collar upper edge adjacent said end portions.

2. A cervical collar comprising, in combination,

(a) a semirigid collar having upper and lower edges and end portions,

(b) body engaging portions defined on said collar lower edge,

(e) an insert block interposed between and connected to the end portions of said collar,

(d) releasable fastening means connecting said insert block to at least one of said end portions,

(e) a head-supporting rear pad mounted upon said collar substantially centrally of said end portions thereof and extending above the collar upper edge, and

(f) a head-supporting front pad mounted upon said insert block extending above said collar upper edge adjacent said end portions.

3. A cervical collar comprising, in combination,

(a) a semirigid collar having upper and lower edges and end portions,

(b) body engaging portions defined on said collar lower edge,

(c) an insert block interposed between the end portions of said collar,

(d) releasable fastening means connecting said insert block to said end portions, whereby different sizes of insert blocks may be employed with said collar to vary the circumferential dimension thereof,

(e) a head-supporting rear pad mounted upon said collar substantially centrally of said end portions thereof and extending above the collar upper edge, and

(f) a head-supporting front pad mounted upon said insert block extending above said collar upper edge adjacent said end portions.

4. A cervical collar characterized by its stability comprising, in combination,

(a) a collar defined by a pair of flexible sheets afiixed together wherein said collar includes upper and lower edges and end portions and is adapted to substantially encircle the neck of the wearer,

(1)) padding attached to said lower edge of said sheets having front, intermediate, and rear portions,

(c) said padding including a longitudinally extending padded portion and a longitudinal neck portion extending from the padded portion, said neck portion being received between the sheets constituting said collar adjacent the lower edge thereof whereby said padded portion is aligned with and is intersected by the plane of said sheets,

((1) said collar lower edge and padding being of such configuration wherein said padding front portion is of a convex form adapted to engage the clavicle body portion, said intermediate padding portion being of a concave form adapted to engage the trapezius ridge body portion, and said rear padding portion being of a convex form adapted to engage the border of the vertebral and superior margins of the scapula body portion,

(e) a rear pad affixed to said sheets substantially centrally of said sheets end portions and extending above the upper edge thereof adapted to engage and support the rear of the wearers head,

(f) an insert block interposed between said sheets end portions interconnecting said end portions, and

(g) a front pad mounted upon said insert block extending above the upper edge of said sheets adapted to engage the mandibular area body portion.

5. A cervical collar characterized by its stability comprising, in combination,

(a) a collar defined by flexible sheet material having upper and lower edges and end portions adapted to substantially encircle the neck of the wearer,

(b) padding attached to said lower edge of said sheet material adapted to engage the wearer,

(c) a rear pad member affixed to said sheet material centrally intermediate said end portions and extending above said upper edge,

(d) an insert block releasably afiixed to each of said sheet material end portions maintaining said end portions in predetermined relation, and

(e) a front pad member mounted upon said insert block extending above the sheet material upper edge.

6. In a cervical collar as in claim 5,

(a) vertically disposed guide means defined on said sheet material and said insert block associated with said pad members permitting vertical adjustment of said rear and front pad members, respectively, thereto, and

(b) lock means associated with said guide means and associated pad members locking the vertical position of a pad member with respect to its associated guide means.

'7. In a vertical collar as in claim 6, wherein (a) said lock means includes a hole defined in said pad members,

(b) a plurality of vertically spaced holes defined in said guide means adapted to selectively align with said hole defined in the associated pad member, and

(c) removable fasteners inserted through said pad member hole and one of said spaced holes locking a pad member within its associated guide means.

8. A cervical collar comprising, in combination,

(a) a semirigid collar having upper and lower edges and end portions,

(b) body engaging portions defined on said collar lower edge,

(e) an insert block interposed between and connected to the end portions of said collar,

(d) a first head-supporting pad mounted upon said collar substantially centrally of said end portions thereof and extending above the collar upper edge, and

(e) a second head-supporting pad mounted upon said insert block extending above said collar upper edge adjacent said end portions.

9. A cervical collar characterized by its stability comprising, in combination,

(a) a collar defined by flexible sheet material having upper and lower edges and end portions, adapted to substantially encircle the neck of the wearer,

(b) padding attached to said lower edge of said sheet material having front, intermediate, and rear portions,

(c) said collar lower edge and padding being of such configuration wherein said padding front portion is of a convex form adapted to engage the clavicle body portion, said intermediate padding portion being of a concave form adapted to engage the trapezius ridge body portion, and said rear padding portion being of a convex form adapted to engage the border of the vertebral and superior margins of the scapula body portion,

( d) a rear pad aflixed to said sheet material extending above the upper edge thereof adapted to engage and support the rear of the wearers head,

(e) a front pad supported by said sheet material extending above the upper edge thereof adapted to engage the mandibular area body portion, and (f) an insert block releasably affixed to at least one of said sheet material end portions interposed between said sheet material end portions interconnecting said end portions, said front pad being mounted upon said insert block.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,508,892 9/1924 Mikalsen. 3,042,027 7/1962 Monfardini 12875 RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CERVICAL COLLAR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, (A) A SEMIRIGID COLLAR HAVING UPPER AND LOWER EDGES AND END PORTIONS, (B) BODY ENGAGING PORTIONS DEFINED ON SAID COLLAR LOWER EDGE, (C) AN INSERT BLOCK INTERPOSED BETWEEN AND CONNECTED TO THE END PORTIONS OF SAID COLLAR, (D) A HEAD-SUPPORTING REAR PAD MOUNTED UPON SAID 